Staging Outdoor Spaces

​

Have you ever ordered a salad in a restaurant, only to be served a bed of wilted greens topped with a soggy piece of tomato? Not very appetizing, huh? Well, think about how buyers feel when they arrive at a home and encounter dirty windows and flower beds choked with weeds instead of a nice, fresh exterior. If you're selling your home, you are probably familiar with the idea of staging. This is a common theme on the popular HGTV shows. Staging is a great way to receive top dollar for your property. However, it shouldn’t be confined to the interior. It’s important to showcase the outside of a home as well. After all, first impressions are critical. The front of a home can either beckon buyers or make them hesitate before entering. In other words, a home’s exterior will have a major impact on a buyer. Follow these five simple steps to refresh the exterior of a home. Rejuvenate Your Garden and Walkway Unkempt flower beds, weeds and overgrown bushes are a big No No. They send a message that you can’t sweat the small stuff, so what about more important things? You’ll be surprised at how a well-kept garden can improve curb appeal. Find out for yourself. Drive around a different neighbourhood and view the front of the various homes through a buyer’s eyes. Dirty, mildewed and cracked walkways are another sign that your home may not be well looked after. Make Those Windows Sparkle Dirty windows and screens are a big turn off. The seller may be accustomed to them, but a buyer will notice the dirt and may wonder what else hasn’t been looked after. Don’t give a buyer the opportunity to question your maintenance habits. Sparkling clean windows will send out a positive message. Signage and Fixtures Does your home have a name? Visitors are often struck by our pleasing house names. Eastern Road is a prime example of eye-catching names – Wind Song, Daiquiri and Sugar Apple, to name a few. A fresh house sign and an attractive house number provide a nice polish to a home’s exterior. Clean Patio Furniture You may have a chair on a front porch or lounge furniture on a back porch and patio. Decrepit patio furniture will create an impression of neglect. A power wash, fresh coat of paint and fabric cleaner may be all you need to give your furniture a facelift. Replace any furniture if it’s beyond cleaning. No need to go overboard. Try finding second-hand furniture you can spruce up. Look Up Do you have ceiling fans on a covered porch? If so, when was the last time the blades were cleaned? What about the porch ceiling? Is it clean or speckled with mildew? Clean the fan blades and ceiling. Put a healthy plant or pot of flowers or two on the porch to create an inviting atmosphere. Hardware Update door handles and give the front door a fresh coat of paint. Place a flowering plant at the front entrance. Well done! Assuming your yard is well maintained and there’s no junk lying about, you’ve just staged the exterior of your home.